Machine for



UNITED STATES @PATENT OFFTCE.

GEO. XV. PARROTT AND OHAS. K. BRADFORD, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BOOT AND SHOE SOLES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,049, dated November 8, 1859.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE WV. PARROTT and CHARLES K. BRADFORD, both of Lynn, Massachusetts, mechanics, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting the Soles of Boot-s and Shoes, and that the following description, with the accompanying drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification thereof.

The drawings represent a machine in which our several improvements are embodied.

Similar letters represent similar parts in all the views.

Figure l, is an elevation of the left end. Fig. 2, is an elevation of the right end. Fig. 3, is a vertical section on line A, B, looking from left to right. Fig. 4l, is a front elevation. Fig. 5, is a plan or top View.

Our invention consists in the oscillating and reciprocating stock carrying the knives, and the feeding presser clamps, arranged and operating therewith, substantially as herein described.

The leather used is first cut into strips of a width equal to the required length of the soles. represents one of these strips of leather in the act of being run through the machine and cut up into soles.

(b) is an oscillating reciprocating stock, to which are attached the knives (c) and (ci). These knives are of different curves adapted for cutting alternately each side of the sole. The curves of the knives are ogee shape, fitted to form the sole, the sharpest part of the curves being near the middle of the knife, so that by keeping the middle of the strip of leather about on line with the middle of the knives the same machine will practically cut soles of various sizes.

The stock (b), to which the knives are attached, is operated up and down in the slots (e) in the standards by means of the connecting rods (g), which are connected by cranks, as represented, with the shaft (7L), to which the propelling power is applied.

The machinery for oscillating t-he stock (b) and bringing the differently curved knives alternately into action for cutting each side of the sole in its turn is constructed as follows: The stock (b) near one end has a crank and eccentric pin to which is attached a slide (7c), which works in a slot (Z) in a rocking knee (m), the opposite end of which is connected by the connecting rod with the independent cog wheel (o) which wheel is geared into a smaller wheel (p) upon the main shaft (It). The main shaft revolves in the direction shown by the red arrows upon the fly wheel (g). The proportion between the cog-wheels 0) and (p) isA such that the former makes but one complete revolution to two of the latter, and thus the rocking knee (m) makes but one complete throw back and forth as each descent of the stock (a), which carries the knives, and thereby the two knives are brought alternately int-o action at each descent. It will be observed that the combined action of these parts is such that the greatest oscillation of the Vstock carrying the knives occurs when they are up and free from the leather, and that while the knives are in the act of cutting they descend in a direction practically vertical, so that they enter the leather, cut, and leave the same vertically the feed of the leather, being stopped during the cut of the knives.

In all sole cutting machines heretofore the feeding of the leather has been done by hand, the strip of leather being pushed by the operator against a gage stop on the fore part of the machine which is set to the desired width of the sole. This feeding by hand is incompatible with a rapid motion of the machine, besides the inconvenience and danger of feeding after the strip becomes very short, and the practical difficulty of getting rid of the soles after they are cut.

lVe use an automatic feed, described as follows: (r) is a piece of metal, in which are set a number of small sharp prongs (s, s, s, &o.) adapted to take into and carry forward under the knives the strip of leather to be out into soles. This piece of metal, which we call the feeder, is connected by the rods (t) with the levers (u), which are fixed upon a supplementary shaft (o), at one extremity of which is affixed, at an angle of about 45 degrees, the slotted lever (w), which is connected by the rod with the crank (y), the opposite center of which crank is on the same eccentric crank pin as the lower end of the left hand main connecting rod (g), which operates the knife stock. These parts so arranged carry forward and back the feeder (r), the extent of motion determining the width of each sole being governed by the position in which the upper end of the connecting rod is set in the slot (a) of the lever (w) by a .clamp screw (l).

It will be observed that the feeder attains its greatest forward n entrance of the knife into the leather, and thence dropping, commences to run back, takes its new hold and carries the leather properly forward again precisely in time to be ready for the action of the alternate knife.

Besides the forward and backward motion of the feeder, it is necessary to give it a vertical motion, so that the prongs of the feeder may be pressed up to their hold on the leather when running forward, but be withdrawn and sink down out of their hold when running back. To accomplish this, a short hollowcylinder (2) is afXed and slides upon the shaft (it), upon one end of which is the cam (3), acting upon the pin and roller (4L) on the rod (5), properly formed and set, as represented by the drawings, for elevating the feeder and pressing it to its hold on the leather and allowing it to drop down away from its hold at the requisite times.

)Wien it is desired to stop the feed of the leather, it is simply necessary to stop the vertical motion of the feder, and the horizontal motion may continue as before. This is accomplished by throwing the cam out of connection with the pin and roller (4:) by means of the lever (6) operating through the rod (7) and the rocking knee (8) on the slide cylinder (2).

(9) are counterbalancing weights for throwing the cam (3) into connection with range just before the the pin and roller (4L) when the lever (6) is let down.

(10, 10, &c.) are a number of metallic pressers, set in a metallic frame (l1) and designed for keeping the leather down smooth and flat upon the table, and as eX- hibited by the drawings we make use of the same lever (6), for raising up and releasing the pressers from the leather, that we do for throwing the vertical motion of the feeding apparatus in and out of action. Thus when the lever (6) is raised up, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the pressers are up, free from the leather, and the vertical motion of the feed is simultaneously disontinued and the feeder traversed wholly beneath the leather, and thus the entire practical operation of the machine is suspended as long as desired, and the strip of leather may be freely removed or a new strip placed in the machine at the will of the operator.

(12) is a double acting gage for guiding the strip of leather properly under the center of the knives in the usual manner, as shown by the drawings.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

The combination and arrangement of an automatic feed, sole by sole, with the cutting knives substantially as described.

Gr. W. PARROTT. p CHARLES K. BRADFORD. .Witnesses:

I. GiLns, LUTHER BRIGGs, J r. 

